What is a Dehydrator?

Why Dehydrate… aka What Does a Dehydrator Do?

A dehydrator is a tool that uses low temperatures and a fan to dry food. It essentially removes the water from food, but it keeps the enzymes of your raw food intact.

In my opinion dehydrated foods are not the easiest thing for your body to digest: it’s not the closest thing to nature. Essentially you don’t have the water content and that means it’s not the ideal food.

That being said, I think dehydrated foods are a great way to transition to raw food, and even as a great gluten-free treat. Most of the dehydrated foods can replace the textures and tastes of the most addictive foods like bread, cookies, and chips. Who wouldn’t want that?

How to Dehydrate Raw Food

Most dehydrators come with a temperature setting, and as long as you are dehydrating at temperatures below 112-118F you’ll be keeping your ingredients “raw”. (See what is the raw food diet here.)

Use a Dehydrator to Preserve Excess Produce

If you’re lucky enough to have an abundant garden (or just a great deal of fresh local produce) then you can use a dehydrator to preserve your harvest.

Simply clean and cut your fruits or vegetables and place on your dehydrator trays. Depending on how watery the produce is you might need to dehydrate for a longer time. Dehydrated fruits and veggies make great snacks, or can be used to top salads or in sauces and soups. Yum!

Make Raw Kale Chips

Wash the kale and then cut it into 3 inch long strips. Keep in mind that these chips will get smaller as they dehydrate. Put the sliced kale in a large bowl and add the olive oil, sea salt, diced garlic, lemon juice, and cumin, all to taste. Get your hands in there and massage the ingredients into the kale.

Wait for 10 to 20 minutes: the kale leaves should have shrunk a little bit. Now place your marinated kale on a dehydrator tray and turn the dehydrator on to dry for about 7 to 8 hours at 115F. You’ll be crunching these awesome kale chips so fast you’ll need to make a second batch! Be sure to experiment with different spices and mimic your favorite chips.

Make Fruit Leathers

Making fruit leather is one thing that reminds me of being a kid and eating those sugary processed fruit roll-ups. Of course when you’re in charge of what goes into your fruit leather you can make them as healthy as you want! Why not dehydrate a green smoothie to take with you on a hiking trip?

Blend your favorite mix of fresh fruits (and/or vegetables!) until smooth. You may need to add a bit of water if your blender cannot process it well, but try not to add too much.

Spread the mixture on a teflex sheet or piece of cellophane. It should be about 1/4 inch thick, but you can experiment with different thicknesses.

Place the sheet in your dehydrator and dry at 110F-118F for about 4 hours.

When the leather is dry enough, peel it off the sheet and flip it over to dehydrate on the other side, and place it on the mesh of your dehydrator. So that both sides dry. Dry for another few hours until it reaches a malleable but dry consistency.

Enjoy as a snack or use it to wrap other ingredients in, let your creativity run wild.

Unlimited Uses for a Dehydrator

Although I always tell people that they should consider investing in a blender before a dehydrator, dehydrators can be fun. I’ll definitely be posting new recipes and ways to make use of your dehydrator.

Recommended Dehydrators

Depending on how much you care to spend you can get a really good Excalibur Dehydrator or pick up one of the less expensive types at most kitchen stores.

I’ve had my Excalibur Dehydrator for almost 3 years now and I love having the option to make dehydrated crackers, cookies, and fruit leathers.

What’s Your Favorite Dehydrated Snack?

If you’ve ever bought dehydrated snacks or have your own dehydrator, what’s your favorite recipe? Let us know in the comments!

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THE INFORMATION PROVIDED ON THIS WEBSITE IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, OR THE EQUIVALENT IN YOUR COUNTRY. THESE PRODUCTS ARE NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.